Magic Loop – two sleeves at a time

I have finally mastered knitting two sleeves at a time using magic loop. Double pointed needles I can handle but I have never loved it as I love the magic loop. First, I were frustrated by the ladders I accidentally made when using DPNS, second I became fed up of hunting for a lost needle especially on double decker bus without any friendly knitters on board – if there were I did not have to look at all – it would be given back a few seconds later by a fellow knitter who can spot it very quickly indeed! But I digress, I have used the magic loop for years now, and would recommend it warmly. Using a good quality circular needle is essential otherwise you might end up with just a needle tips without a cord or a kink damaged cord (read: I have done both). It needs to be a minimum of 80 cm/32″ long, since you need to pull out a loop at each end, in a figure 8. Now, I have managed to knit two at a time with the aid of Liat Gat’s brilliant YouTube video – she demonstrates knitting both the English way and the Continental way here: Two at at time.

I found it hard to solve the cast on issue on my own and needed a teacher to show me which method of cast on I should use so that the yarn would be in the right position, and the fact that you actually first cast on half the amount of the first sleeve, then the full amount for the second sleeve. Next, you pull out the cord in the middle and join second sleeve then work half of it before casting on remaining stitches for the first sleeve and repeat the join on the first sleeve. I also find it easier to work in a lace pattern across a magic loop, since I only work half a sleeve at a time instead of a quarter of it and hence do not need to move stitches from one needle to the other, when I end on a knit 2 together for instance. So I am knitting my lace sleeves a lot quicker than I thought I would and it is pure bliss!

11 Responses to Magic Loop – two sleeves at a time

I really dislike double-pointed needles, and abandoned them once I learned to use two circulars instead. I have never done the magic loop using one circular however. Perhaps it’s time to give it a try!

Oh, I am excited to see your next Clotheshorse design (I am still waiting for yarn from them)! I need to learn to design top-down. I have only tried to knit it once and found it hard to grasp the neck shaping but I guess it is only practice. Yes, it is absolutetly worth testing, Ruth! Thank you for reading!

I’m working on a top down cardi, and didn’t realize magic loop wouldn’t work for sleeves in this construction – so I did it. Kind of confusing getting everything facing the right direction, but basically I did a couple of rounds on each sleeve, then transferred the stitches to a long circular needle. After doing the 1st half of the 1st sleeve, I realized the second sleeve was on backwards. Since I fixed that, it’s all going along pretty smoothly.

Yes, I had not thought of how you would knit sleeves top down on magic loop either! So you must be working upside down hence it is harder to face the right direction and making sure the sleeves are identical. Well done for finding a smart solution, thank you Pam!